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About this project

Dude Here.

TOM (photo credit: gregthemayor)

Tom hails from Indianapolis, IN where he lives with his special lady friend and their three adorable children. When he's not attending a Colts game or traveling the states to Lebowski Fests, you can catch him mixing a caucasian for amateurs and achievers alike at his local bar, The Alley Cat or working a spade at the Eagle Creek Nursery.

Interesting fact:

Tom has not missed the Indianapolis 500 in 40 years. His mom even yanked him out of third-grade classes to attend the rain-postponed 1973 race.

PAUL and (we're all very fond of her) Yvonne

Paul has been teaching college English for thirty years, for four of them a-way out west in Arizona, the rest in his native Wisconsin. Although he has a Dude trophy taking it easy on a shelf in his home office, Paul is more proud of the trophy his wife won at the 12th Annual Lebowski Fest in Louisville for embodying Nancy Reagan. He and this wonderful woman have two adult sons: one quotes the movie to beat the band; the other is stonewalling.

Interesting fact:

Paul's claim to be the first person to screen "The Big Lebowski" in an academic setting (Spring 2000) has yet to be disputed.

JEFF (photo credit: gregthemayor)

Jeff, a private pilot, keeps himself busy brewing beer or building and producing handmade transportation when he's not playing the upright bass or guitar with his wife in their hometown of Louisville, KY. In true Dude-fashion, he owns a 1973 Gran Torino with brown, rust coloration and the California plates: 376 PCE.

Interesting fact:

In 2010, Jeff started his biggest project, building a 1929-style Pietenpol Air Camper (double seat aircraft) by hand from the ground up. On June 4, 2013, he flew it for the first time at a local airport.

Say friend, you got one o'them good donations to help an artistic conception?

Now, Dudes. Three Dudes, or so they've self-applied the name in years of meeting at Lebowski Fests throughout the country to celebrate the film that's inspired, well, we wouldn't call it a cult following, 'cause what is a cult? But we will be following, across the sands of time and southward the Torinos, to the first ever Fest in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Yeah, our Minnesota-based film crew will be heading though the Dairy State and the City of Big Shoulders to bear witness to a caravan of three 1973 Gran Torinos (the car the Jeff Bridges character loved and lost and found again and - what's that smell? - in The Big Lebowski, the Coen Brothers' 1998 ode to sloth and friendship). The engines will start in Indianapolis, gallop through Kentucky, make a left at Elvis, and follow the Mississippi down to the Fest in NOLA. And I'm talking about the Dudes here. Taking it easy. In the Big Easy. Uh, lost my train of thought here ...

Of course, this here car trip is funded by the collective modest means of the three Dudes themselves. And we hope to take our cameras back to each of their real-life habitats to see what exactly inspires a man, uh, Dude. (Fair warning: They're employed). It's the making of the film itself that needs some financial help from y'all, 'cause cinema is as costly as it is collaborative. We're hoping you want to be one of our collaborators, send us some bones or clams. A little "kick start," as the fella says.

The Dudes are willing their dream into happening, and our film crew has a dream too. Will you help us will it?

Thankie.

WAYS (believe me, Dude, there are ways) to help:

1. Pledge ... the rewards are over there, man. Help us achieve in the modest task that is our charge.

Risks and challenges

Challenge:
We have many different locations to shoot at and the highlight of the film is a huge car ride from Minnesota to Louisiana that involves 4 cars, country roads, city streets, and the home of Elvis. We need your help to properly take care of the Dudes and the crew while shooting in these various locations (transportation, equipment and housing) and for any unforeseen problems that might come up. (see next challenge)

Challenge:
We're taking a risk traveling so many miles with cars built in the early 70s. Our solution is to bring plenty of bottles of oil and spare parts, but if all else fails, we will tow it somewhere and have some interesting road-side footage to include in the film.

FAQ

Besides having it available for those that wish to own a copy, I would like to enter it in film festivals. These festivals are a great way to share your work with the community and see it shown at local theaters.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

RIDE IN A TORINO ...
You're invitation for burgers, beers and a few laughs with a night of bowling and a ride in a Torino (and the Creedence)
This will be in conjunction to Lebowski Fest: Louisville. Date TBA. (you will also receive all reward levels except the other $500 level)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

We're offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go on this epic road trip with the Dudes. That's right -- come along on the adventure! Just know these aren't amateurs and will quote the movie to beat the band and may even tell you to STFU. Fair warning, tell Walter.